Somebody please buy this building and turn it into Performing Arts Center / Music Venue.

I know what you’re thinking: BUT IT’S A TEMPLE! Yes, but it’s also for sale. Rather than knocking down this landmark-quality building, I suggest we turn it into some sort of Performing Arts Center / Music Venue. This location (570 W. Walnut St., Long Beach, NY 11561) might be a little too far away from our two downtowns (West & Park) for it to work, but it would be a shame to knock it down. View the Real Estate Listing Here. $399,000 seems like a bargin, no?

I looked at this property when I was house hunting. It has an apartment and a rather large kithchen already in it. There are sites that show temples and churches turned into houses from all over the world. The sticky point to this property is the classrooms behind it. Do not think they are included in the asking price.

#1- this is yet another example of people with no pride and no respect for the community around them in LB. The condition of that building is a disgrace!
#2- this should be designated for new homes.
#3- music venue would be awful on a residential street so those in favor need to smarten up.

I’ve always wanted to start a sort of community center for arts/music and yoga/wellness, that’s for kids *and* adults (adults need play time too!)…if I had $400,000 laying around I would love to buy up this space. It would be perfect. If anyone is actually serious about doing something like this, please contact me at heather@making-space.net. Making Space is the name of my yoga & wellness company, but I want to use that name for the recreation center as well (I’ve been planning this for a long time as you can see). I’ve got all the ideas, just need to figure out how to raise money and execute it.

For anyone worried that it would disturb neighbors, it wouldn’t be any more of a disturbance than it was when it was an active temple. For the most part it would function as an art gallery, classroom/studio space — it looks as if it has a basement or lower level, which, if we do have live music, would be the place where music would be played (to keep the noise level at a minimum) and, shows would only be on Friday/Saturday nights to be in keeping with when most people stay up late.

We don’t have, and have never had anything like this, and I truly believe it would be a unifying force in the community. I went to high school in Long Beach and wished we had something like this when I was a teenager. I would love to be able to give that to the community — a space where people are welcome to create on their own time and/or take a class, for free or low cost; a space to be with other creative and inspiring people and to share ideas.

Anyway, I see that The Mermaid Art studio now exists, which is AWESOME, and a step in the right direction for this town (but on the surface it looks like it’s mostly for kids — I think there needs to be something for teens/young adults/and adults to be able to participate in as well). I plan on contacting the owners to see if they’d want anything to do with what I’m trying to make happen too.